Six Month Pre-Participation Physical Rule

NCAA 6-month rule:

Effective for August 2007, all NCAA member institutions should adhere to the following:

“17.1.5 Mandatory Medical Examination. Prior to participation in any practice, competition or out-of season conditioning activities (or, in Division I, permissible voluntary summer conditioning in basketball and football or voluntary individual workouts pursuant to the safety exception), student-athletes who are beginning their initial season of eligibility shall be required to undergo a medical examination or evaluation administered or supervised by a physician (e.g., family physician, team physician). The examination or evaluation must be administered within six months prior to participation in any practice, competition or out-of-season conditioning activities. In following years, an updated history of the student- athlete’s medical condition shall be administered by an institutional medical staff member (e.g., sports medicine staff, team physician) to determine if additional examinations (e.g., physical, cardiovascular, neurological) are required. The updated history must be administered within six months prior to the student-athlete’s participation in any practice, competition or out-of-season conditioning activities for the applicable academic year.”

Middlebury College has taken steps to modify its procedures to comply with this new ruling.

For first year students who may be playing a spring intercollegiate sport or club rugby and crew:

You are required to submit a physician-conducted medical entrance exam to the College Health Services prior to July 1st of your matriculation year.

In order to meet this July 1st deadline your entrance medical exam would have to have been performed before then.

Spring sports at Middlebury start on February 15th, therefore counting backwards any entrance medical exam conducted before August 15th would put you outside the NCAA 6-month rule.

In an attempt to accommodate the 2007 NCAA rule, the Athletic Department allows one “administrative” day per fall for spring sport compliance to this rule. You should contact the coach of your spring sport and inquire as to when that “administrative” day will be and make sure that you attend.

Athletes not in compliance with this rule will need to make arrangements to have a repeat physician-conducted physical exam with local or home physicians at their own expense. These exams will not be available at Middlebury College.

For those athletes that are not first year students, but have not played an intercollegiate sport or club rugby or crew within 6-months of their entrance medical exam:

You are required to obtain a physician conducted medical exam and have it on file with the health services prior to participation and to notify the athletic department compliance officer that you are in compliance with this new ruling.